Friday, December 26, 2008

818 Area Code Overlay with 747 Area Code Begins in 2009

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has forecasted that the 818 area code (San Fernando Valley, California) will run out of telephone numbers in the third quarter of 2009 and has therefore announced an overlay with new area code 747; that is, as is the case with the old 310 and new 424 area codes, both area codes will exist in a single geographic area, with most new telephone numbers assigned receiving the new 747 area code.

Because an 818 and a 747 telephone number may therefore be in the same house or office building, ten-digit dialing (dialing the area code plus the number) will become mandatory in the 818 area code, effective April 18, 2009. The advantage of an overlay rather than a split is that any person or business with an 818 number will be able to keep that number, and no decision has to be made as to what geographic are retains the 818 area code and what area must adapt the new area code. Public hearings showed the public favored the overlay solution.

Cities in area code 818 include Agoura, Agoura Hills, Arleta, Calabasas, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Glendale, Granada Hills, Hidden Hills, La CaƱada Flintridge, Lake View Terrace, Mission Hills, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Pacoima, Panorama City, Reseda, San Fernando, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Sunland, Sun Valley, Sylmar, Tarzana, Toluca Lake, Topanga, Tujunga, Universal City, Valley Village, Van Nuys, West Hills, Westlake Village, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, and of course "Media Capital of the World" Burbank.

More information: CPUC 818 Area Code Change Information

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

FYI, the latest estimate from NANPA is that 818 will run out in 2009 4Q. You can find the latest estimate at http://www.WhereCall.com/AreaCode-Exchange/818.htm (under "Exhaust:").

Anonymous said...

I can't believe the majority of respondents would choose an overlay over a split. Well, we live in Southern California, I forgot logic does not apply here.

Splits are far more logical and orderly. Area Codes were meant to represent a contiguous area, separate from other Area Codes, much like zip codes. There's no reason why I should have to dial a long distance code (regardless of the price) to call my next door neighbor. The CPUC's own projections show that a split and an overlay have the same life span. Why not look 50-100 years ahead instead of just 25?

The inevitable scenario will be that we will have to add another overlay to the Valley in 10 years. Why not just plan ahead and create 4 digit Area Codes? I'd even be in favor of that instead of an overlay.

Ayrin said...

Area Code 818 is located in CA. While the area code can give you a general idea where a phone number originates from, the first 6 digits can narrow down the location even more.

http://www.areacodeanswers.com/818/city.html